Consolidated Results as of 30.06.2013

01 August 2013 - 07:33 price sensitive

Consolidated results as of 30 June 2013 (*)

Net profit exceeds € 1 bln (+28.4%), best half-year result in 5 years

Operating result at € 2.4 bln (+5.3%), driven by P&C growth. Solid Life result despite difficult financial context.

Total premiums at € 34.8 bln (+1.7%) with positive trend in both segments, strong contribution of innovative products

Life: Net inflows at € 4.9 bln (€ -378 mln 1H12) due to product and
distribution quality

  • Premiums up to € 23.1 bln (+2.2%). High New Business Margin at 20.6% (19.2% FY12).
  • Solid operating result at € 1.5 bln (-7%) in a low reinvestment rate environment

P&C: Operating result € 909 mln (+24.8%) supported by excellent technical profitability

  • Strong improvement in Combined Ratio to 94.7% (97.1% 1H12) due to prudent underwriting policy and more efficient claims management
  • Positive premium trend (+0.8%) following healthy performance in Motor

Financial segment: Operating result at € 272 mln (+28.6%) with positive contribution from Banca Generali and Bsi

  • Third-party AUM has increased to € 98.5 bln (+2.2%)

Solvency I at 139% (130% 1H12). As of mid-July, Solvency I at 142% excluding the 5 p.p. contribution from sale of Mexican minorities and US assets.

Group’s debt reduced by € 500 mln over the first semester to € 12.7 bln

The Generali Group CEO, Mario Greco, said: "We have made a strong start to 2013, recording our best half year performance for 5 years. We have taken significant strides in strengthening our capital position and improving our operational and financial performance. The process of restructuring and simplifying our businesses in Central-Eastern Europe, Italy and Germany is progressing well. Generali is more focused and profitable than it was a year ago and we are well on track to achieve the targets we have set ourselves. The Group expects to report a higher full year operating result compared to 2012".

Milan – At a meeting chaired by Gabriele Galateri di Genola, the Board of Directors of Assicurazioni Generali approved the consolidated financial statements as at 30 June 2013.

The Generali Group in the first six months has registered its best half-year result for the last five years. Net profit was in excess of € 1 billion (+28.4% to € 1,081 mln; € 842 mln 1H12), while the operating result stood at € 2,378 million (+5.3%; € 2,257 mln) sustained by the excellent premium income in Life and P&C and higher business margins.

The operating result was driven in particular by the performance of the P&C operating result to € 909 million (+24.8%; € 728 mln) reflecting its excellent technical margins. The Combined Ratio recorded a 2.4 percentage point improvement to 94.7%, benefitting from prudent underwriting policy, efficiency measures in claims management and favourable frequency trends in some markets. In the Life segment, a better business mix and higher technical margins resulted in a solid operating result at € 1,481 million (-7%; € 1,591 mln) despite an adverse financial climate still affected by low reinvestment rates.

The launch of new business initiatives and the strength of the Group’s distribution networks supported production growth. Total premiums reached € 34.8 billion (+1.7%; € 34.6 bln). The P&C segment saw the confirmation of the positive trend in premium income at € 11.7 billion (+0.8%;
€ 12.1 bln) especially due to Germany (+4.2%). In the Life segment, premiums rose to € 23.1 billion (+2.2%; € 22.5 bln). The production growth, together with lower outflows from maturities and surrenders especially in Italy and France, contributed to the significant rise in the net inflows to € 4.9 billion (€ -378 mln).
Life new business, with APE at € 2.3 billion (+1.3%; € 2,280 mln), registered high profitability with the New Business Margin rising to 20.6% (19.2% FY12), reflecting the better business mix oriented towards protection covers and unit-linked products and the initiatives taken on guarantees.

The Group’s capital position remains sound. The Solvency I ratio was 139% as of June 30 (130% 1H12; 145% 1/1/13). The ratio is at 142% as of mid-July, not including the 5 percentage point positive impact deriving from the disposal of the Mexican minorities and the US assets. Shareholders' equity was € 18.4 billion (€ 17,4 mld 1H12; € 19 mld 1/1/13) as of June 30. The more forward-looking Economic Solvency Ratio rose from 159% at year-end 2012 to 167% at the end of June.

Over the first 6 months of the year the Group has reduced its outstanding financial debt by € 500 million, allowing it to reach € 12.7 billion as of June 30 (€ 13.2 bln FY12) in line with the 2015 target of debt reduction.

The Group’s aggregateAssets under Management, including third-party assets, reached € 491.3 billion in the first half, stable relative to the end of 2012.

OUTLOOK

In light of the measures taken, despite a macroeconomic scenario that remains uncertain, in line with its strategic objectives the Group expects an improvement in its overall operating result in 2013, while continuing with both the capital strengthening process and the implementation of the strategic initiatives announced in January.

LIFE SEGMENT

In the Life segment, there was a healthy trend in annual premiums (+2.6%) and a recovery in single premium contracts (+1.6%). The premium growth was driven in particular by linked contracts (+8.3%) and assisted by the performance of protection covers (+3%) and savings products (+0.2%).

Looking at the individual markets, production growth was reported in Germany (+24.4%), while in Italy (+5.1%) new products have been launched and the performance of the traditional channel was excellent, contributing to the growth of individual policy premiums (+10.7%). The downturn in the French market was largely due to the decrease in savings products (-43.1%) compared with the first half of 2012, when action was taken to protect the portfolio.

New business in terms of APE, supported by the performance in Italy (+8.9%) and Germany (+37.2%), registered an increase in annual premiums (+0.6%) and single premiums (+2.2%). New business value amounted to € 473 million (-1.3%).

Growth in Life net inflows contributed to the improvement in the net technical reserves to € 318.2 billion (+2.5%).

 

Life segment 
€ mln  Gross premiums  APE  New Business Margin 
  30/06/2013 Δ  30/06/2013 Δ  30/06/2013 Δ 1H13-FY12 
Italy  6,381 +5.1%  860 +8.9%  17.3%  +0.1 p.p. 
France  4,090 -27.9%  409 -29.6%  14.3%  +1.6 p.p. 
Germany  8,120 +24.4%  549 +37.2%  23.4%  +3.1 p.p. 
CEE  790 -2.6%  84 -17.5%  45.7%  +14.3 p.p. 
Rest of Europe  3,026 +1.9%  315 -1.7%  24.6%  +3.9 p.p. 
Rest of world  714 +24.3%  86 +8.4%  25.7%  -18.3 p.p. 
Total  23,121 +2.2%  2,303 +1.3%  20.6%  +1.4 p.p. 

P&C SEGMENT

The P&C segment reported growth in both the Motor (+0.8%) and Non-Motor (+0.1%) businesses. Looking at the individual markets, good performance was achieved in Germany (+4.2%), Austria (+2.5%) and Switzerland (+1.7%). Premiums declined in Italy (-3.9%) and France
(-4.2%) due to the downturn in the Motor market (-9% and -5.9% respectively).

The segment’s high technical margins were confirmed, with the Combined Ratio improving to 94.7% (-2.4 p.p.), due to the reduction in the current loss ratio and the containment of costs. Specifically, the loss ratio was down 2.2 percentage points to 67.3%, while the expense ratio improved by 0.3 percentage points to 27.4%. Natural catastrophes impacted the Combined Ratio by 2.1 percentage points (2.4 p.p. 1H12) including 1.1 percentage points relating to the floods in Germany and Central Eastern Europe.

At country level, Italy reported a significant improvement to 90.8% (-8.9 p.p.), as a result of the lower NatCat impact and the improved current loss ratio of the Motor and Non-Motor businesses benefitting from an underwriting policy that focused on profitability. The CoR in Central Eastern Europe countries remained excellent despite the 3.1 percentage point impact of the June floods. The CoR in Germany, also affected by the June floods, was stable.

INSERIRE TABELLA

FINANCIAL SEGMENT

There was a significant improvement in Group asset management in the first half of the year, due to the positive contribution from Banca Generali and Bsi. Third-party assets under management increased by 2.2% to € 98.5 billion.

Sustained by higher commission income and larger realised gains on equities, the operating result improved by almost 30% to € 272 million, driving a 3.2 p.p. improvement in the cost income ratio, from 67.4% to 64.2%.

THE GENERALI GROUP

The Generali Group is one of Europe’s largest insurance providers and the biggest European Life insurer, with 2012 total premium income of € 70 billion.
With 80,000 employees worldwide and 65 million clients in more than 60 countries, the Group occupies a leadership position on West European markets and an increasingly important place on markets in Central Eastern Europe and Asia.

NOTE FOR EDITORS

The following documents are available on www.generali.com: pre-recorded video webcast with transcription, presentation for analysts, half-year report.

The Analyst Call will be held at 12 noon (CET), with the Group CEO, Mario Greco, and the CFO, Alberto Minali.

Journalists can follow the event via webcast on www.generali.com or by calling +39 06 87500874  (listen only).

The Generali corporate app offers the latest package of institutional information optimised for mobile devices. The app can be downloaded free from the Apple and Android stores.

The Manager in charge of preparing the company’s financial reports, Alberto Minali, declares, pursuant to paragraph 2 article 154 bis of the Consolidated Law on Finance, that the accounting information in this press release corresponds to the document results, books and accounting entries.

 

DEFINITIONS AND GLOSSARY

Annual Premium Equivalent (APE) = the sum of the initial premium on new annual-premium policies, plus one-tenth of premiums on new single-premium policies. This is the premium basis used to compute Life new business value.

Combined Ratio = loss ratio plus expense ratio: acquisition expenses + general expenses) divided by retained premiums.

New Business Value = expected present value, on issue, of future profits arising from new Life business in the period, net of the cost of capital.

New Business Margin = new production divided by APE.

Operating Result was obtained by reclassifying the components making up the pre-tax profit for the year in each line of business on the basis of the specific characteristics of each segment, and taking account of the recurring expenses of the holding.
In particular, all profit and loss items were considered, with the exception of net non-operating costs: results of discontinued operations, corporate restructuring costs, amortisation of portfolios acquired directly or through acquisition of control of insurance companies or companies in the financial sector (value of business acquired or VOBA) and other net non-recurring costs. The following are also considered as non-operating items: in the Life segment, realised gains and losses and net impairment losses on investments on which the policyholder's profit sharing is not based on; in the Non-Life segment, all realised gains and losses and net impairment losses, including gains and losses of foreign currency; in the Financial segment, realised gains and losses and net impairment losses on strategic equity investments and investments. The total operating result does not include non-operating holding costs such as interest expense on borrowings and costs arising from implementation of parent company stock option plans and stock grants.

***

The interim financial report for the six months to 30 June 2013 is available in the section Investor Relations of www.generali.com

***

Attachments: Balance sheet and Income Statement

 (*) Change in premiums, net inflows and APE is calculated on a like-for-like basis (on equivalent exchange rates and consolidation area). Changes in operating results, own investments exclude mexican companies and US life reinsurance business from the comparative period. Figures related to Gross written premiums and Operating result at 30.6.2013 have been recalculated compared to the disclosed figures excluding Mexican companies and of US life reinsurance business from the comparative period.